Question

A boy moves down a waterslide from a height of 15 meters. What is his velocity when he hits the water at the bottom of the slide? Assume zero friction on the slide.

a) 17 meters/second
b) 10 meters/second
c) 19 meters/second
d) 14 meters/second

Answer 1

The velocity of the boy when he hits the water at the bottom of the slide is approximately 17 meters/second.

Step-by-step explanation:

The velocity of the boy when he hits the water at the bottom of the slide can be calculated using the equation of motion:

v^2 = u^2 + 2as

where v is the final velocity, u is the initial velocity (0 m/s as the boy starts from rest), a is the acceleration due to gravity (-9.8 m/s^2 in this case), and s is the distance traveled (15 meters in this case). Plugging in the values, we get:

v^2 = 0^2 + 2(-9.8)(15)

Simplifying the equation, we find that:

v^2 = -294

Taking the square root of both sides, we get:

v = -17.14 m/s

Since velocity is a vector quantity that indicates both magnitude and direction, we take the absolute value of the result.

Therefore, the velocity of the boy when he hits the water at the bottom of the slide is approximately 17 meters/second.